Thill-coupling.



I Patented July 3, I900. A. L. GRANT. THILL COUPLING. (Application filedMar. 31, 1900.) (No Model.)

Z m L 6 a d UNITED V STATES,

PATENT Cl rion.-

ALBERT L. GRANT, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

THlLL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 652,769, dated July 3,1900.

Application filed March 31,1900. SorialNo.10,923. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT L. GRANT, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of the city of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Thill-Couplings,of'which the following is a full, clear, and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to certain improve ments in thill-couplings, andhas 'for its objects to provide a construction which can be readilyapplied or detached from the supporting-clip without removing thecoupling-bolt, also to provide a construction which will effectuallyprevent any noise or rattling during travel of the vehicle to which itis attached, and also to provide a spring so constructed as to haveincreased tension or stiffness, so as to render the connection strongand durable.

iVith these objects in view my invention consists in the combination andarrangement of the parts substantiallyas herein described, andparticularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters ofreference are used to indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is an elevation,partly in section, of a thill-coupling embodying my invention. Fig. 2 isa perspective view of the thill-hook having my improved spring appliedthereto, the position being that assumed during the process of coupling.

In carrying out my invention I provide a thill-iron A, comprising theshank 0., adapted to be welded or otherwise secured to the ends of theshaft, and the hook b, which is adapted for engagement with thecoupling-bolt B of the clip 0. The clip 0 is of the ordinaryconstruction or standard make, having the usual projecting ears 0, whichcarry in their forward ends the coupling-bolt B.

Extending from the bill I) of the hook is a flat metallic spring D,which is curved outwardly from said hook and is bowed, as illustrated inthe drawings. Near the upper end of said spring D, I provide a tongue(1, which is formed by cutting out a portion of the main body of thespring and bending it down, as illustratedmost clearly in Fig. 2 of thedrawings. When the shafts are coupled and the hooks b are in engagementwith the bolts B, the spring D bears against the transverse wall 0' ofthe clip and the tongue cl bears against the outer surface of the hook,the said spring and tongue thus firmly holding the said hook in positionand preventing any noise which might be occasioned by the rattling'ofthe parts.

-The improved construction of my spring D, which is the most importantfeature of my present invention, gives greater stiffness and rigidity tosaid spring, and thereby increases its tension and lasting powers, whichis a decided advantage in devices of this character.

Thelower or free end of the auxiliary arm or tongue dis of such alengthand so arranged and adjusted in relation to the outer surface of thehook against which it bears that when the shafts are in the raisedposition in use, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the full amount of tensionrequisite to prevent rattling is exerted upon the convex-spring arm D inits bearing against the transverse wall 0' of the clip, and when thefree or outer ends of the shafts are dropped, as when the vehicle is notin use, the thill-hook still being in connection with the clip, thetongue of the spring will be relieved. The tongue at itself has verylittle, if any, yielding properties and forms a substantially-rigid armfor keeping the spring D in engagement with the transverse walls of theclip, thus exerting the necessary tension, as when the shafts are in theraised position. The upper end of the tongue d or portion where it isconnected with the spring D is located at a point about where the springcomes in contact with the transverse face of the clip, and in thismanner the pressure is brought to bear directly at that point, thetongue d being substantially rigid, and in this manner I accomplishsuperior results over constructions heretofore invented.

I am aware of the construction of v thillcoupling illustrated anddescribed in United States Patent No. 617,767, issued to Lewis PrideauxJanuary 17, 1899, and do not claim the same herein, my presentinvent-ion being animprovement upon the said Pridea'uxcoup ling.

The lower end of the spring D is bent'at substantially right angles toform'a foot d,- which bears against the squared end of the hook-bill. Aset-screw, as (1- is provided for securing the spring to the book.

When it is desired to couple the shafts to the axle-clips, the saidshafts are lowered until the hooks assume the position illustrated inFig. 2 of the drawings,when the said hooks are then pushed down over thecoupling-bolt B and the spring D forced against the wall 0 of the clip.The shafts are then turned up I to position for harnessing and the partsof the coupling assume about the position shown in Fig. 1 of thedrawings. The two straight walls of the hook are thus in anearly-horizontal position,which, together with the force of the springD, prevents the displacement of the coupling,while the spring preventsthe parts from rattling, as heretofore described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-

1. In a thill-coupling having a hook formed on the free end of thethill-iron adapted to the transverse bolt of the clip carried by theaxle of the vehicle, a convex spring comprising a Hat metallic plate, D,of single thickness secured at the lower end to the bill of thethill-hook, aconvex body portion,a tongue (I, formed by being struckfrom the main body portion leaving an aperture in the main body portion,said tongue, (I, having its free end depending and adapted to bearagainst the upper portion of the thill-hook operating as an auxiliaryarm to keep the spring-plate, D in and release the tension when theshafts are dropped and the vehicle is not in use, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a thill'coupling, a convex spring secured at its lower end to thebill of the thillhook having an auxiliary tongue, (1, formed by cuttingout a portion of the main spring and bending the said cutout portioninwardly, the free end of said tongue being adapted to bear against theouter surface of the upper portion of the hook for keeping the convexspring in engagement with the transverse wall of the clip upon thevehicleaxle, substantially as described.

3. A spring for thill-couplings comprising a flat metallic spring, I),having a foot, (1, formed on its lower end, a convex body portion, and atongue, (1, formed by cutting out a portion of the-main spring andbending the said cut-out portion inwardly, for the purpose described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 27th day of March,A. D. 1900.

ALBERT L. GRANT.

Vitnesses:

CHARLES H. SPECKMAN, .TNo. T. Gaoss.

